Paperboard tray



Dec. 13, 1966 P. A. NEMOEDE ETAL 3,291,366

PAPERBOARD TRAY 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1964 fnverzirfl .PQZCZ and 02423 C Mic/Z6552.

Dec. 13, 1966 P. A. NEMOEDE ETAL 3,291,366

PAPERBOARD TRAY Filed March 18, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Paul Cz emoede and lauds CMz'ceZZzj 1966 P. A. NEMOEDE ETAL 3,291,366

PAPERBOARD TRAY Filed March 18, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 In z/enz oris' J aaZ Q. j emaeae and loads C M zit/Z61 2? z Dec. 13, 1966 P. A. NEMOEDE ETAL 3,291,366

PAPERBOARD TRAY 4 Sheets-Sheet L Filed March 18, 1964 fnz/eniars/ .Paul GJYemoea: and loads C Mz'ak ih United States Patent Ofifice 3,291,366 PAPERBOARD TRAY Paul A. Nemoede, Los Gates, and Louis C. Michetti,

Santa Clara, Calif., assignors to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Dela- Filed Mar. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 352,7s2 15 Claims. cr. 229 3o This invention relates to paperboard trays, and more particularly to collapsible trays of the type employed for the packaging of bakery goods and other relatively light weight products.

The invention comprehends an improved arrangement for obtaining a maximum amount of tray capacity with a minimum amount of paperboard in the blank from which the tray is formed.

It is common to package bakery goods and other articles in a relatively light weight paperboard tray and then over-wrap the tray and packaged articles with a sheet of thin, transparent, material such as plastic film. Obviously, trays intended *for this type of package are not required to be especially heavy or rugged in construction.

A primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an economical paperboard tray of simple design and construction which is especially suitable ttor use in an overwrapped package.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide, in a tray of the type described, an arrangement for forming the tray with bottom, end, and side walls from a blank of sheet material, wherein portions of the end walls are cut from material of the bottom wall to provide a tray having certain dimensions but which requires less paperboard than would be required .for a tray of the same dimensions utilizing conventional tray construction.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an examinattion of the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tray illustrating one form of the invention, with the tray being shown in fully erected condition;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated 11 FIGURE 1, but with the tray shown in a partially erected condition to illustrate the manner in which tray is formed;

FIGURE 3 is plan view of a blank from which the tray illustrated in FIGURE 1 may be formed;

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 are similar to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, respectively, but illustrate another form of the invention;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are similar views to FIGURES 4 and 6, respectively, but illustrate yet another form of the invention;

FIGURES 9, 10, and 11 are similar to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, respectively, but illustrate yet another term of the invention;

FIGURE 12 is a transverse horizontal section taken on line 12-12 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 13 is similar to FIGURE 4, but illustrates yet another form of the invention.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views, where they are illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better under- 3,291,366 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 standing of the invention, it will be seen that in FIGURES 1-3 there is illustrated a tray, indicated generally at T, which embodies one form of the invention which will be hereinafter referred to as Embodiment A.

The tray in an erected condition includes a bottom wall panel '10 and opposing pairs of side wall panels '12 and end wall panels 14 which are arranged and disposed to form a box-like structure open at the top. The tray of FIGURE 1, may be formed from a unitary blank B of suitable sheet material, such as foldable paperboard, as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings.

Blank B is divided, by a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending, parallel score lines 20, into a central section 22, which includes the bottom wall and end wall panels, and a pair of outer sections 24, which include the side wall panels and gussets. Ceneral portion 22 of the blank is further divided, by a pair of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending, parallel cut lines 30, into a generally rectangular center section or bottom wall panel 10 and a pair of generally rectangular end wall panels 14.

Each out line 30 has, at each end thereof, an extension 32 which extends outward-1y in the direction of the related corner of the blank to a point located preferably approximately midway between the related corners of bottom wall panel 10 and blank B.

Disposed at right angles to each out line extension 32 is a score line 34 which extends from the free end of out line extension 32 to the point where score line 20 intersects the outer edge of the blank.

Thus, it will be seen that out line extension 32, score line 34, and that portion of score line 20 which defines the side edge of related end wall panel '14 coperate to form a triangular gusset 36 or bellows member which serves to interconnect the related side and end walls 12 and 14 at the corner of the tray, when the tray is in erected condition, as shown in FIGURE 1. Gussets 36 are actually formed from material of side walls 12.

At each corner of the blank, in side wall panel 12, there may be provided a preferably arcuate out line 50 which fonrns an integral locking tab 5 2, the purpose of which is to engage an edge of gusset 36 to maintain the tray in erected condition.

In erecting the tray from the blank, end wall panels 14- are folded upwardly to a vertical position with the left end panel being rotated counter-clockwise and the right end panel being rotated clockwise, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. At the same time side panels 12 are folded upwardly to a vertical position, and \guSSelS 36 are folded inwardly at right angles to the end wall panels and into full-face, abutting engagement with the inside surfaces of the side wall panels, as shown in FIGURE 1. In order to maintain the tray in erected condition locking tabs 50 are hooked over the upper edges 54 of gussets 36.

When the tray is in the erected condition, as shown in FIGURE 1, it will be seen that end wall panels 14 are actually formed from material which would normally be part of bottom wall panel 10, in a conventional tray construction, there being space or void on each side of bottom wall panel 10 between the bottom wall panel and the end walls. Thus, by this arrangement it becomes possible to form a larger tray from a blank of a given size than could be obtained if the bottom wall were a full panel extending the entire distance between the end walls. Inasmuch as this type of carton is always overwrapped there is no need for providing a full bottom anel.

p Now turning to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, it will be seen that a slightly modified form of the invention is shown. In this embodiment, hereinafter referred to as Embodiment B, those portions corresponding to portions of the earlier described embodiment have been designated by related numerals.

As best seen in FIGURE 6, a blank B is divided into a central section 122 and outer sections 124 by a pair of longitudinally extending score lines 120, only one half of the blank being shown as it is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis. The central section is in turn divided into a bottom wall panel 110 and a pair of end wall panels 114 by a pair of transversely extending cut lines 130.

In a manner similar to that of the previous embodiment, each out line 130 is provided with an extension 132 which extends diagonally outward from score line 120 to a point approximately midway between the corner of the blank and the related corner of bottom panel 110. Also, there is a score line 134 extending from the free end of cut line extension 132 to an edge of blank B. In Embodiment B, however, score line 134 extends in a direction normal to score line 120. An additional score line 135 in side wall panel 112 extends from the junction between cut line extension 132 and score line 134 to the outer edge of the blank at a point in alignment with the junction between cut line 130 and score line 120. Thus, it will be seen that score lines 134 and 135 define, with the adjacent edge of the blank a triangular gusset 136. It will also be seen that score line 134, together with cut line extension 132, separates the middle portion of side wall panel 112 from end portions 137 which are hingedly attached to the related end walls along score lines 120. Although each end portion 137 is actually part of side wall panel 112, it could also be considered as a separate gusset, hinged along one edge to the related end wall panel and hinged along another edge to gusset 136. Thus, gussets 136 and 137 cooperate to form a gusset member hingedly attaching the side wall panel to the related end wall panel of the tray.

In erecting the tray, end wall panels 114 are folded or rotated upwardly to the vertical position in a different manner than are the end walls of Embodiment A. As seen in FIGURE 5, left end wall 114 is rotated in a clockwise direction, and right end wall 114 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. At the same time side walls 112 are folded upwardly into the vertical position, so that when the tray is in erected condition, as seen in FIG- URE 4, each gusset 136 is interposed in parallel abutting relation between overlapping middle and end portions of side wall panel 112.

In order to maintain the carton in erected condition the middle portion of each end wall panel 112 may be provided with a pair of preferably U-shaped cut lines 150 forming tabs 152 which may be bent over the outside edges of the related side wall panel end portion and gusset 136 to lock the tray in erected condition, as shown in FIGURE 4.

An alternate method of maintaining the carton in erected condition is that disclosed in FIGURES 7 and 8, hereinafter referred to as Embodiment C. This embodiment is similar in every respect to Embodiment B, except that no locking tabs are provided. Instead, the gussets 236 are adhesively secured in position between overlapping portions of side wall panel 212 by glue means as at 253.

Turning now to FIGURES 9, 10, 11, and 12, it will I be seen that another embodiment of the invention is shown which is hereinafter referred to as Embodiment D.

Embodiment D is similar to the other embodiments in most respects, except that the cut lines 330 are not straight lines, as are the related cut lines in the earlier described embodiments. Cut lines 330 each have a straight center portion, extending parallel to the edge of the blank, and

outwardly diverging angled end portions. Thus, an additional portion of material is removed from each end of bottom wall panel 310 to provide a generally trapezoidal shaped end wall extension 313 which is hingedly attached along fold line 315 to the lower edge of each end wall panel 314. In the erected condition, as shown in FIG- URES 9 and 10, it will be seen that each extension 313 is co-planar with but spaced from bottom wall panel 310.

Another distinguishing feature of Embodiment D is that, in addition to having out line extensions 332 and score lines 334 and 335 corresponding to the out line extensions and score lines of Embodiment B, which provide a triangular gusset 336, there is an additional score line 338, also extending from the junction of score line 334 and cut line extension 332 to the outer edge of the blank B, to form a second gusset 339 which cooperates with gusset 336 to form a gusset member for interconnecting the end and side walls of the tray, as shown in FIGURE 9. The tray of Embodiment D is erected in much the same manner as the trays of Embodiments B and C with the end Wall panels being rotated in such a manner that the free or outer edges of the end walls rotate upwardly and inwardly until the end walls are at right angles to the bottom wall. At the same time the side walls are folded upwardly at right angles to the bottom wall, so that in the erected condition gussets 336 are folded inwardly at right angles to the end wall panels 314 and gussets 339 are interposed in parallel, full-face, abutting engagement between the outer surface of side wall panel 312 and the inner surface of related gusset 336.

In order to maintain the carton in erected condition there may be provided tabs 350 formed integrally with and projecting from the ends of side walls panels 312 which are disposed to lock in notches 352 formed by cut lines 354 in end wall panels 314.

Now turning to FIGURE 13 of the drawing, it will be seen that yet another embodiment of the invention, hereinafter designated as Embodiment E, is shown. This embodiment is quite similar in almost every respect to Embodiment D, except that cut lines 430 at the ends of the bottom wall panel 410 are curved in such a manner that a portion of bottom wall panel is formed from the material of end wall panel 414, and also a portion of the end wall panel is formed from a portion of the bottom wall panel. Thus, there is a void in both the bottom wall panel and the end wall panel, but this does not matter because the tray is intended to be overwrapped with a plastic film as are the other embodiments. By this arrangement it is possible to obtain slightly greater length for the bottom wall than is obtained with the arrangement of the other embodiments by utilizing certain material from the end wall panels.

In examining all of the views of the drawings, it will be noted that in the case of each embodiment of the invention the tray is provided with a bottom wall panel hinged only to the side wall panels which are in turn connected by gussets or bellows members to the end wall panels. By this novel arrangement stock which would normally be in the bottom wall panel of the tray is used to form the end wall panels, so that a larger tray can be formed with a blank of fixed dimensions that would be possible with a conventional lay-out arrangement.

We claim:

1. A collapsible tray formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard, comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular, horizontal, bottom wall panel having opposed end edges free from attachment to any other portion of the tray;

(b) a pair of opposed, vertical side wall panels having lower edges with central portions hingedly attached to opposed side edges of said bottom wall panel and with end portions adjacent said central portions free from attachment to any other portions of the tray;

(c) a pair of opposed, generally rectangular, vertical end wall panels having lower edges free from attachment to and spaced from respective end edges of said :bottom wall panel;

((1) gusset means hingedly interconnecting adjacent end portions of related side and end wall panels at the corners of the tray;

'(e) said gusset means including at least one triangular gusset defined by three edges, including:

(i) a first edge free from hinged attachment to either 01f said related side and end wall panels;

(ii) a second edge operatively attached to one of said related wall panels;

(iii) a third edge operatively attached to the other of said related wall panels;

(i) said gusset :being disposed in parallel, abutting engagement with one of said related wall panels;

(g) means integral with said tray for maintaining said gusset in parallel, abutting engagement with said one related wall panel.

2. A tray according to claim 1, wherein the second edge of said gusset is hingedly attached directly to one of said related wall panels, and wherein the third edge of said gusset is hingedly attached to a second gusset which is in turn hingedly attached to said other related wall panel.

3. A tray according to claim 1, wherein the second and third edges of said gusset are hingedly attached directly to the respective related wall panels.

4. A tray according to claim 2, wherein said first mentioned gusset is adhesively secured to said second gusset.

5. A tray according to claim 1, including a locking tab projecting from said one related wall panel and engaging the first edge of said gusset.

6. A tray according to claim 1, wherein said means for maintaining said gusset in parallel, abutting relation with said one related wall panel includes a looking tab projecting from said one related wall panel.

7. A tnay according to claim 1, wherein the free end edges of said bottom wall panel and the free bottom edges of said end wall panels are formed with complementary arcuate portions.

8. A tray according to claim 1, including horizontal flaps hingedly attached to the lower edges Olf respective end wall panels.

9. A collapsible tray formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard, comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular, horizontal, bottom wall panel having opposed end edges free from attachment to any other portion of the tray;

(b) a pair of opposed, vertcial side wall panels having lower edges with central portions hingedly attached to opposed side edges of said bottom wall panel and with end portions adjacent said central portion free from attachment to any other portions of the tray;

(c) a pair of opposed, generally rectangular, vertical end wall panels having lower edges free from attachment to and spaced ifrom respective end edges of said bottom wall panel;

(d) gusset means hingedly interconnecting adjacent end portions Olf related side and end wall panels at the corners of the tray;

(c) said gusset means including at least one triangular gusset defined by three edges, including:

(i) a first edge free from hinged attachment to either of said related side and end wall panels;

(ii) a second edge hingedly attached to the related side wall panel;

(iii) a third edge hingedly attached to the related end wall panel;

(if) said gusset being disposed in parallel, abutting engagement with said related side wall panel;

(g) means integral with said tray for maintaining said gusset in parallel, abutting engagement with said related side wall panel.

10. A collapsible tray formed from a unitary blank of f-oldable paperboard, comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular, horizonal, bottom wall panel having opposed end edges free from attachment to any other portion of the tray;

(b) .a pair of opposed, vertical side wall panels having lower edges with central portions hingedly attached to opposed side edges of said bottom wall panel and with end portions adjacent said central portions free from attachment to any other portions of the tray;

(-c) .a pair of opposed, generally rectangular, vertical end wall panels having lower edges free from attachment to and spaced from respective end edges of said bottom wall panel;

(d) gusset means hingedly interconnecting adjacent end portions of related side and end wall panels at the corners of the tray;

(e) said gusset means including a first gusset hingedly attached to one of said related wall panels, and a second gusset, triangular in shap, defined by three side edges, including:

(i) a first edge free from hinged attachment to either of said related wall panels;

(ii) a second edge hingedly attached to the other of said related wall panels;

(iii) a third edge hingedly attached to said first gusset;

(f) said triangular gusset being disposed in parallel abutting engagement with one of said related wall panels;

(g) means integral with said tray for maintaining said gusset in parallel, abutting engagement with said one related wall panel.

11. A generally rectangular blank of cfoldable paperboard, for rforming a tray with a bottom wall and opposed pairs of end and side walls, cut and scored to provide:

(a) a pair of parallel score lines extending longitudinally the entire length of the blank and spaced transversely of the blank from each other to divide the blank into a central section, bounded on both ends by free outer edges of the blank, and a pair of generally rectangular outer sections, each bonded on one side and both ends by free outer edges of the blank;

(b) a pair of cut lines extending transversely across the entire width of said blank central section between said score lines and spaced from each other longitudinally of the blank;

(c) said cut lines forming with said dold lines:

(i) a bottom wall panel located between said cut lines; and

(ii) a pair of end wall panels located outboardly of said out lines at opposite ends of said bottom wall panel;

(d) each of said cut lines having at each end thereof, an extension continuing from the related score line to a point in the related outer section of the blank located between the corner of the blank and the related corner of said bottom wall panel;

(e) a score line extending from each out line extension to an outer edge of the related outer section of the blank;

(t) the score lines and related cut line extensions in each blank outer section serving to divide said outer section into a side wall panel and at least one gusset at each end of said side wall panel between the side wall panel and the adjacent end of the related end wall panel.

12. A blank according to claim 11, and including an additional score line in each end of each blank outer section extending from the junction of the out line 7 extension and related score line to an outer edge o f the blank to form a second gusset between said first mentioned gusset and the adjacent end of the related end wall panel.

13. A blank according to claim 11, wherein said cut lines are straight and parallel to each other to form a generally rectangular bottom wall panel.

14. A blank according to claim 11, wherein said out lines are bowed outwardly from to provide a bottom wall panel with convexly curved end edges and end wall panels with concavely curved lower edges.

15. A blank according to claim 11, and including cuts 7/1956 Paige 229--16 7/1960 Williamson 20665 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

0 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE TRAY FROMED FROM A UNITARY BLANK OF FOLDABLE PAPERBOARD, COMPRISING; (A) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR, HORIZONTAL, BOTTOM WALL PANEL HAVING OPPOSED END EDGES FREE FROM ATTACHMENT TO ANY OTHER PORTION OF THE TRAY; (B) A PAIR OF OPPOSED, VERTICAL SIDE WALL PANELS HAVING LOWER EDGES WITH CENTRAL PORTIONS HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO OPPOSED SIDE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL PANEL AND WITH END PORTIONS ADJACENT SAID CENTRAL PORTIONS FREE FROM ATTACHMENT TO ANY OTHER PORTIONS OF THE TRAY; (C) A PAIR OF OPPOSED, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR, VERTICAL END WALL PANELS HAVING LOWER EDGES FREE FROM ATTACHMENT TO AND SPACED FROM RESPECTIVE END EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL PANEL; (D) GUSSET MEANS HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTING ADJACENT END PORTIONS OF RELATED SIDE AND END WALL PANELS AT THE CORNERS OF THE TRAY; (E) SAID GUSSET MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE TRIANGULAR GUSSET DEFINED BY THREE EDGES, INCLUDING: (I) A FIRST EDGE FREE FROM HINGED ATTACHMENT TO EITHER OF SAID RELATED SIDE AND END WALL PANELS; (II) A SECOND EDGE OPERATIVELY ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID RELATED WALL PANELS; (III) A THIRD EDGE OPERATIVELY ATTACHED TO THE OTHER OF SAID RELATED WALL PANELS; (F) SAID GUSSET BEING DISPOSED IN PARALLEL, ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE OF SAID RELATED WALL PANELS; (G) MEANS INTEGRAL WITH SAID TRAY FOR MAINTAINING SAID GUSSET IN PARALLEL, ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ONE RELATED WALL PANEL. 